


Hit

by orphan_account



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-04-19 19:14:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14243946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Bruce propositions Alfred, it goes as expected.





	1. First Time

 

 

The rejection was imminent, should Bruce actually proposition Alfred. That was immediately apparent.

The thing about it was though - Bruce was patient.

To get what he wanted, he would have to play the long game. Get Alfred used to the idea. Wear him down, for all intents and purposes, although Bruce was reluctant to use terminology that would imply coercion.

Bruce had no doubt that at the very least - with repeated and prolonged application - Alfred would be forced to give him a fair chance as a suitor.

Still - it was the _beginning_ it all that was the problem.

Bruce had to keep reminding himself that the journey of a thousand miles began with one step.

 

 

 

 

He waited a respectable amount of time after he'd publicly called Alfred a father figure.

It was what Alfred wanted to hear - Bruce knew - and ultimately what had caused him to return.

Bruce would have said anything - to get Alfred to return to his side. He'd almost immediately ruined it, with his snarky demeaning comment of, "I don't know why I bothered".

He'd meant, 'I don't know why I bothered giving up my chance with you when it wasn't going to work anyway' not the 'I don't know why I bothered to bring you back into my life' Alfred had no doubt thought he'd meant. Bruce had been more frustrated with himself.

Frustrated that Alfred had recognized he'd needed to sort things out for himself. It reminded him of how young he was - although he didn't feel that way - and how childish.

Bruce had felt bad too - how Alfred had relented after that, so docile, as if it were his last chance to get back into Bruce's life and so he'd compromised his dignity.

Bruce knew he'd never willingly let something like that happen again.

 

 

 

 

 

Bruce's approach _could_ be crass, shocking and aggressive. It would show Alfred how badly he wanted him, would solidify his dominant position in their relationship. It might also make Alfred laugh in his face.

And always, Bruce respected Alfred.

Perhaps his aggression was best saved for another time.

To begin with....Bruce finally decided on sincere, quiet-like almost. He was liable to shock Alfred no matter his approach. It'd be better if he could make him think - _consider_ \- for that small space of a moment.

 

 

 

 

 

Things were unsettled between them, since the separation. Always there was some misapprehension moving beneath the surface.

Alfred was cautious, seemed less open, less trusting, less emotionally available. He acted the same, said the same kinds of things - all the same Bruce noticed.

"Alfred." said Bruce and immediately he had the man's full attention.

It was addictive, to have such power.

"Yes, Master B?" Alfred asked peppily, in his usual way.

"Have you ever given much thought to relationships? A romantic relationship, in particular?" It was best to start off slow, to build the picture for him.

"Master Bruce, that's...." Alfred seemed to think it over, "The most important relationship in my life right now is you. We agreed that I'm...not just your butler. I'm also part of your life. Partners. And you don't need to worry that I'm going to leave. You're my first priority."

It was more or less what Bruce had expected to hear.

"Yes, I know that. You're very devoted." And here is where Bruce was liable to fall flat on his face. "I was wondering if you could perhaps see in our immediate future the possibility of our relationship becoming much more than it currently is."

"E-excuse me?"

Bracing for the rejection didn't make it any easier to take, unfortunately.

"Romantic entanglement, it's not rocket science Alfred." 

"You and I..." Alfred trailed off, falling silent. Slowly, his face began to heat.

" _Alfred_." Bruce couldn't quite help the way he said it, as he reached for the man.

As soon as Bruce's hand lit upon Alfred's sleeve he jerked back.

"That's...improper, Master Bruce." Suddenly, Alfred burst to life, words spilling out in haste, "I would never - have I given you any occasion to think - "

"-No, of course not."

"right! Because I'm not a child predator, sir. And-"

"I'm not a child, Alfred."

"Well, yes you are. And impressionable, perhaps I've inadvertently-"

"you haven't." Bruce maintained.

Alfred let out a large, huffing breath. His expression was worried, when he finally looked at Bruce.

"Has anyone, an older man perhaps -"

"-No, Alfred."

Luckily the trail of thought was quickly abandoned before Alfred, frenzied almost, took to his next line of thought.

"In adolescence, it's normal to have...crushes." Alfred seemed reluctant to say it, "it'll pass Bruce."

And it was Bruce's name, without the honorifics.

It felt _good_.

"Think about it Alfred." Bruce intoned, then began to leave the room to give Alfred some space.

" _Sir_ -" Alfred called after him, scandalized, no doubt by Bruce's unwillingness to recognize it as a simple _crush_.

Despite himself, Bruce smiled, pleased.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

 

Alfred, of course, wasn't game - for any of it.

The young master was - well, just that, innit?

Although naturally the age gap disturbed Alfred the most, the crux of it was as well - that Alfred would, more or less, never be caught fraternizing with - well, a _master_ , for want to a better word.

An employer. More than that though - someone who's social caste was so far above his own.

Already Bruce had the makings of Gotham aristocracy. The boy was a billionaire, even had he been of an appropriate age Alfred could not fathom any attraction brewing on his part.

The age gap was troubling, if Alfred took it all seriously.

Which, he did not.

 

 

 

Alfred had once had a crush on the cafeteria lunch lady in boarding school in primary.

This, he reasoned, was sort of like that.

 

 

 

Bruce had always been a very serious child. He'd always had a mind and will of his own, almost straight from the womb. His tenacity and hard changed will were the reasons that Alfred could only stand idly by and watch Bruce blossom into the man he was becoming. One who was beginning to take responsibility not only for himself but for those around him.

He was not without scars - his parents leaving the deepest of them all. But he wasn't damaged, to say the least.

And that's why, Alfred let him keep up his childish crush without comment. Why he didn't say anything when sometimes he caught Bruce staring - Bruce, who although caught still never had the decency to look ashamed. Half the time he didn't even look away, but stared directly into Alfred's eyes as if daring him to say something.

Alfred was displeased to admit it was often him who caved and looked away in those interactions, face heating with something like embarrassment.

And the touching - well, if it had been anything explicitly untoward Alfred would have quelled it in an instance. But Bruce was smarter than that. His touches were innocent and fleeting - a caress to the shoulder here and a guiding hand at the small of Alfred's back there - gone in less than a second and so light Alfred was unsure he'd been touched at all.

It was all - so very uncomfortable.

He had to keep reminding himself it would pass.

For the first time, he actively sought to keep Miss Kyle at the mansion more.

The girl though, simply snorted - seemingly amused - and still only showed when she pleased.

 

 

 

Rather than fading, things progressed.

"My associate and I," Bruce explained, seriously, "came to make a deal."

The criminal before them snickered.

"Aw ain't that sweet," he addressed Alfred, "getting your little boy toy to play business."

Alfred opened his mouth to respond, decidedly offended by the assumption on his character, but Bruce beat him to it.

"I think you're mistaking who is in charge here," Bruce said with an unwavering confidence, "I'm in charge."

Spoken like a true socialite, a true member of the bourgeois.

Alfred shifted uncomfortably at the way Bruce said it, although for all intents and purposes it was true. It seemed, rather than rectifying the man's mistake Bruce was only correcting the small details of his assumption. Implying that they were really a couple. 

" _Master_ -" He protested, but didn't get the _Bruce_ part of it out before the man guffawed so loudly it drowned out any other words.

"Oh that's good," the uncouth man slapped his knee, "I underestimated you kid. You even have your own little bitch."

Alfred is too stunned for a moment to say anything. When he snaps out of it though Bruce reaches a hand out and gives his shoulder a warning squeeze to stop him from correcting the man, from telling him exactly what he thinks.

Alfred should make a scene, but they're there for a reason.

"The goods?" Bruce asks, changing the subject.

 

 

 

Alfred, of course, is not pleased with the turn of events. It shows on his face because of course it does. Bruce sighs as they climb into the car.

"It was better to let him think it."

"Oh, really, was it now Master B?" Alfred asks sarcastically.

Bruce doesn't say anything to that.

"I'll not have people thinking - " Alfred begins, has trouble voicing the words, "that we're...that I'm..."

"I'm sixteen." Bruce says, like that means anything.

"Exactly, you're _sixteen_. And I am not a child predator."

"No one has to know." Bruce says, voice relaxed like they aren't discussing the corruption of a minor. "This is Gotham. And we both know who the instigating party is."

"That's - you really think I would - " Alfred's voice gets tight, "You must not think much of me."

Alfred finds himself actually upset that Bruce thinks Alfred could ever be as base as to lust over his underage charge. His stomach actually rolls.

"You're not my father Alfred." Bruce says, as if to remind him gently rather than a rebuke.

"Yeah well, call me when you're eighteen. Until then, no more of this nonsense." Alfred only says it, because he's sure - 100% sure - that Bruce will grow out of his rather tasteless crush.

"I can wait." Bruce says instead, which makes something in Alfred rear up in panic, "But don't expect me to tone my admiration down in the meantime."

The boy's impossible.

He's driving Alfred mad.

"Sir." Alfred says shortly.

"In private, I mean." Bruce says and smiles, and if his smile didn't look so heart breakingly happy and carefree - like Alfred hasn't seen since... - then Alfred would wipe it off his face.

Instead he just _harumphs_ and pointedly doesn't look at Bruce for the drive back home.

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
